Building a Dolly?

SkipperofVaruna

New Member
I'm not exactly building-savvy, but I also don't have to money to get a $400 dolly and I find myself in a position where I need one if I want to be able to race. I looked further back in the "Laser Sailing" section and couldn't find anything that answered this specific question, but could I build one using simple materials like PVC pipe, 2X4's, + cheap hardware store aluminum that would safely hold my boat for a full season (abt. 3 months in Maine)? I'd like to budget this to under $50 if possible.

Also, if anyone has ever done something like this I'd like some advice on how to make it strong, durable, and secure.

Thanks,

Bob
 
I once built one out of 3/4" galvanized pipe. It was pretty strong, not too heavy and unwieldy and did the job ok and didn't cost too much. Figuring out how to attach the strap was the biggest challenge but all in all I think I managed to do it in a weekend, including multiple trips to the hardware store to get the right pieces. Basically, if you're sufficiently motivated and handy you could probably make an adequate dolly out of almost anything. The wheels will probably be the biggest single expense.

The key is to consider the situations where you're most likely to use it. Does it need to go in the water? Will you be wheeling it around on hard surfaces only or grass or sand or gravel? Will the boat live on it? Do you need to be able to travel with it? If you have to wheel it down a gangway or onto a dock, is there a limit to how wide it has to be?

Build it, save up your money and when you finally get sufficiently PO'd with the compromises, buy a Seitech.
 
I built one out of 3 inch PVC pipe and two wheel barrow wheels. It worked great for the time and effort that was put into it. You could also build just a simple cart similar to a kayak cart and then just lift up the bow. It could either attach to the gudgeons or slip through the centerboard trunk. Do what you need to do to get your self sailing as much as possible.
Ralph
 
I agree with Ralph, do what you need to do to get your boat in the water. I have been hauling a boat for 2+ years on a dolly made out of 3/4" galvanized pipe, some fittings, 4 X 4, two wheel barrow wheels and a steel axle. I ratchet strap it to the middle of the hull and go.

Use the money you save to upgrade your boat... Or whatever other fees you need to cover.

I used the $350 I saved towards my trip to the BVI that year.
 
Hi "SkipperofVaruna"
in 2004 I built a sort of PVC-tube-dolly. This (bad) adventure I not want to let you get also.
We have a member here at TLF that you better contact: "fsylvestre". He is from your side of the big pool. François built a very good aluminium dolly for relative low price. I am shure he is so kind to post you some photos of it, for that you may construct your own dolly.

Other ideas I do send you soon via PM (I am not sure if the owner of that ideas want to make them public without his permition)

Ciao
LooserLu
 
Please keep this discussion on topic and constructive. Inappropriate posts and their replies were moved to the open discussion thread "Life in the OC."

Good Luck with your dolly Bob!
 
Good luck on the Dolly - Anything that gets you into the water without wrecking the hull is A OK.

Few things to think about though:

1) Are you going to want to travel with this dolly - if not, and all you use it for is to get up and down the ramp at the club, then I would suggest you build it for strength. Don't worry too much about the weight. If you want to bring it around with you, then PVC is the way to go. I had a PVC dolly for 10 years and it was fine. Just keep some cement in your gear bag for when it comes apart. Now I am old and responsible with money to buy gear so I have a nice shiny dolly that sits in my back yard!!!! Such a cruel world.

2) What surfaces do you need it to roll on? Are you going off a beach? If you are in a paved lot (or some other smooth hard surface) then you can save money on the wheels. When I first started, I used the training wheels of my little brothers bike - he had to learn sometime!! But if you are going off beaches, then it is worth your while to buy 2 inflatable, plastic rimmed wheels.

3) Strap - go to a junk yard and ask them if you can cut out a seatbelt from a junker. Most will just give it to you.

4) Pipe insulation makes great padding - pull it off your pipes at home. Dad may get mad, but he'll get over it.

Given that you are just 13, it may be a good idea to ask your parents for some help in building it - or some of your friends from the club. It is nice to have someone there to hold things and help you fit it to the boat. I found myself doing a lot of messing about before it was right. Enjoy your summer, save buying a dolly until you are older - then you can stare at it in your back yard!

Good luck!

Matt
 
If you do go with a PVC dolly just realize that there are different grades of PVC pipe out there and the cheap stuff from home depot will tend to flex inwards on your Laser.
 
Just keep some cement in your gear bag for when it comes apart.

I just put a screw through the PVC at every joint. It is guaranteed never to come apart at the worst possible time. Predrill the hole first smaller than the screw or you will crack the PVC.
Ralph
 
I just put a screw through the PVC at every joint. It is guaranteed never to come apart at the worst possible time. Predrill the hole first smaller than the screw or you will crack the PVC.
Ralph

Ralph,

Where have you been all my life? Do you know how many embarrassing moments this could have avoided. Hauling the boat up the ramp and then the end falls off and my pride and joy goes flying back into the water dragging bow the whole way down the ramp. Poor thing still bears the scars to this day.

;-)
 
Good luck on the Dolly - Anything that gets you into the water without wrecking the hull is A OK.

Few things to think about though:

1) Are you going to want to travel with this dolly - if not, and all you use it for is to get up and down the ramp at the club, then I would suggest you build it for strength. Don't worry too much about the weight. If you want to bring it around with you, then PVC is the way to go. I had a PVC dolly for 10 years and it was fine. Just keep some cement in your gear bag for when it comes apart. Now I am old and responsible with money to buy gear so I have a nice shiny dolly that sits in my back yard!!!! Such a cruel world.

2) What surfaces do you need it to roll on? Are you going off a beach? If you are in a paved lot (or some other smooth hard surface) then you can save money on the wheels. When I first started, I used the training wheels of my little brothers bike - he had to learn sometime!! But if you are going off beaches, then it is worth your while to buy 2 inflatable, plastic rimmed wheels.

3) Strap - go to a junk yard and ask them if you can cut out a seatbelt from a junker. Most will just give it to you.

4) Pipe insulation makes great padding - pull it off your pipes at home. Dad may get mad, but he'll get over it.

Given that you are just 13, it may be a good idea to ask your parents for some help in building it - or some of your friends from the club. It is nice to have someone there to hold things and help you fit it to the boat. I found myself doing a lot of messing about before it was right. Enjoy your summer, save buying a dolly until you are older - then you can stare at it in your back yard!

Good luck!

Matt

1) the laser is at the club all summer

2) there is a concrete ramp connected to the parking lot (tar) where the boat is
 
The joints on an ABS dolly shouldn't come off... from what I understand, the correct cement chemically melts the two plastic parts together, making it inseparable. Also my suggestion for plastic/PVC/ABS dollies... When pulling your boat, pull by your boat's bow, not the dollies handle.
Also, carpet strips make a great strap. If it's cut a little wider than the T joint ontop of the post, your boat shouldn't scrape the joint. Just use two screws with washers to hold the carpet on. Make sure they aren't facing upwards or towards your laser :)

Another thing I've noticed is that the lower your posts are, the less they can flex, and less chance to snap, so measure it in a way where it's not excessively tall.

Good Luck
 
My very old laser came with a home-made pair of wheels on the ends of an axle with a piece of red cedar sticking up on each side. When you want to move the boat the hull/deck joint rests on the pieces of wood just forward of the transom and you hold the bow and walk the boat to the water and then retrieve the axle thingy. It actually fell apart very quickly (!) but that was due to age not poor design. I reconstructed it and it works great and only cost about 10 bucks. I thought these were normal cause I saw another guy at a club with the same arrangement but I have never heard anyone else talk of such things so they may be peculiar to Oz. I also have a vague recollection of seeing an ad for inflatable dolly's somewhere but I'm not sure how rigid they would be :)
 
Use the training wheels for wheels.

They are small, but if you are on pavement, are on a budget, then they work ok.

Matt
 
wheel barow wheels work great, i have a home made dolly with them. for the strap fire hose from the nearest station my dolly is 1 1/4 square tubbing (i think) its the same size as a seitech and for the lengths just measure a real dolly at ur local club. I have also heard or the wheels at the transom idea and seen a profesionally built one made of plastic that attached to the gudgeons. That is another posibility.
Ryan
 
found this thread while cleaning out my email inbox, thought i'd let everyone know i found a dolly

eb6a_12.jpg


oh, and not that anyone cares, but it's my little brother's photobucket acct. i just know his password
 
I'm in the process of putting together an ABS dolly from the plans posted earlier on this forum (http://www.jdecm.com/laser/dollies.htm). The only problem I've had is with finding a good set of wheels. I'm reluctant to use the standard wheelbarrow wheels because the hubs and bearings are made from steel. The plastic wheels I've found (at Lowes) are OK (14" by 1.75", a little too skinny) but only have a 1/2" hole for the axel. A threaded rod axel would chew right through the plastic. 1/2" aluminum tubing works better for an axel, but I'd still like to have a way of tensioning the axel as a way of stengthening the main load bearing beam of the dolly.

Has anyone found a better solution for the wheels/bearings/axel?
 
i didn't jump for building one because I figured something like that would happen, i kept my eyes on ebay and amazon until i found something that worked
 
I'm in the process of putting together an ABS dolly from the plans posted earlier on this forum (http://www.jdecm.com/laser/dollies.htm). The only problem I've had is with finding a good set of wheels. I'm reluctant to use the standard wheelbarrow wheels because the hubs and bearings are made from steel. The plastic wheels I've found (at Lowes) are OK (14" by 1.75", a little too skinny) but only have a 1/2" hole for the axel. A threaded rod axel would chew right through the plastic. 1/2" aluminum tubing works better for an axel, but I'd still like to have a way of tensioning the axel as a way of stengthening the main load bearing beam of the dolly.

Has anyone found a better solution for the wheels/bearings/axel?

If you are looking for a non-metal wheel, this one works on 3/4 galv pipe. No bearings needed, just a little grease on the pipe..
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...tDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=18846&R=18846
 
Designed mine using many of the elements in the attached links.

I'm going for steel wheels with bearing as I want the taller and wider tires to get over some of the obstacles I encounter in some of the MT lakes we sail on.

Frame is made out of 1 inch Aluminum Tubing (used and saved from another project) along with 1 SpeedRail fittings, T's and L's..
 

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I'm in the process of putting together an ABS dolly from the plans posted earlier on this forum (http://www.jdecm.com/laser/dollies.htm). The only problem I've had is with finding a good set of wheels. I'm reluctant to use the standard wheelbarrow wheels because the hubs and bearings are made from steel. The plastic wheels I've found (at Lowes) are OK (14" by 1.75", a little too skinny) but only have a 1/2" hole for the axel. A threaded rod axel would chew right through the plastic. 1/2" aluminum tubing works better for an axel, but I'd still like to have a way of tensioning the axel as a way of stengthening the main load bearing beam of the dolly.

Has anyone found a better solution for the wheels/bearings/axel?

I know this isn't exactly a timely response, but it's been a while since I've been here.

My son and I built a dolly for his Laser based on the link quoted above. I didn't like the idea that the threaded rod was going to ride in the plastic (pvc) caps. I got a couple of dishwasher adapters and used them as bearings so that the rod chews on that instead. It works like a champ. It's a little loose, but I figure it's a dolly, not a trailer and will probably travel only a few miles (cumulatively) in its lifetime, so who cares?

Some thoughts on construction: We had a problem with the height of the uprights holding the sling (mentioned earlier in this thread) and would want it lower if I ever do this again. I drilled a couple of holes in the upper end near the 'handle' to let the air in and out during launching (so the dolly didn't try to float). The wheels are the most expensive piece of this project (about $25 each at Home Depot). All totaled the cost was about $100 USD.

DWO
 
Ralph,

Where have you been all my life? Do you know how many embarrassing moments this could have avoided. Hauling the boat up the ramp and then the end falls off and my pride and joy goes flying back into the water dragging bow the whole way down the ramp. Poor thing still bears the scars to this day.

;-)


LMAOROTF:D:D:D:D:D:D I needed a good laugh, and that so reminded me of my own building projects
Thanks!
 
I saw a cool dolly at my club, but wondered about its use and wear on the boat. The hull never touched anything, at least not the smooth wetted surface. The dolly had "arms" on it that fit neatly underneath the hull flange on both sides and up front. Anyone seen or can comment on its use(safety to hulls)?
 

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